South east London secures pilot site on National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme
NHS South East London Integrated Care Board is delighted to confirm that Lambeth and Southwark have been selected as a pilot site for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP). The NNHIP is a flagship initiative from NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care to support delivery of neighbourhood working.
The neighbourhood health service is a core part of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan and a priority for our system. The NNHIP supports this by helping boroughs implement neighbourhood working that will deliver care that better meets the needs of children and adults, including those with multiple long-term conditions and those affected by wider social and economic factors.
The NNHIP offers tailored support and national coaching to help build on existing work and improve outcomes for residents, particularly those experiencing the greatest health inequalities and barriers to good health. Selection of the pilot sites (five in London and 43 in England in total) followed a competitive national application process, with interest from care systems across the country. For Lambeth and Southwark to be chosen is a significant achievement, and recognition of the collaborative work already underway to strengthen neighbourhood-level care in south east London.
This is a great example of partnership working between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and NHS South East London, general practice, and the voluntary and community sector.
Andrew Bland, Chief Executive Officer, NHS South East London said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us to accelerate neighbourhood working, strengthen integration, and improve outcomes for our residents. Being selected reflects the strength of our partnerships in south east London and our shared commitment to improving care. We are excited to be part of a national programme focused on learning, testing and growing together. We will make sure the benefits are felt not just in our pilot site, but across all the boroughs and communities we serve.”
Cllr Nanda Manley-Browne and Dr. Di Aitken, Co-Chairs of the Lambeth Together Care Partnership Board, said:
“We are delighted that Lambeth and Southwark have been selected for the national programme to understand how we can better support residents with long term conditions and tackle inequalities. Lambeth Together already work closely across our health, care and community partners and we look forward to using this opportunity to build on our current work to innovatively support residents and help our communities to thrive.”
Cllr Evelyn Akoto, Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:
“We committed to improving health and wellbeing for people in Southwark and are very excited to have been selected to be a pilot site for the national neighbourhood health programme. This will support our ambition to offer improved, joined-up health services in neighbourhoods to local people, with better preventative care to address health inequalities and improve lives. This news is a reflection of the energy that partners in our borough have put into developing our neighbourhood health and care model.”
Louise Dark, Chief Executive Officer for Integrated and Specialist Medicine at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We are delighted to have been selected in conjunction with our primary care partners as a pilot site for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme. This will enable us to continue our collaborative working with colleagues to improve the health of the population we serve in Lambeth and Southwark. We look forward to being part of the national programme, sharing learning and contributing to development of new models of neighbourhood-based care.”
Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Lambeth and Southwark have some of the highest levels of deprivation in London and beyond, which is why we were so keen for our local boroughs to become a pilot site for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme. We know that deprivation and health inequalities are intrinsically linked, so we are delighted that our local population will now benefit from receiving joined-up care – with a focus on prevention – in their local neighbourhood from outstanding clinicians who serve our boroughs.”
David Bradley, Chief Executive, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Being selected as a pilot site for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme is a welcome recognition of the collaborative work already underway in Lambeth and Southwark. This programme gives us the opportunity to build on what’s working, challenge what isn’t, and make sure our services are shaped around the people who use them. We know that neighbourhood working can help us tackle inequalities, improve access to care, and strengthen support for mental health. We’re committed to making this a local success—and to sharing insights and learning that can drive efficient neighbourhood-based care across London and nationally.”
Dr George Verghese, Clinical Director, North Lambeth Primary Care Network, said:
“General practice is at the heart of our communities, and this programme gives us a real opportunity to work more closely with our partners to improve health and wellbeing for local people. We’re excited to help shape what neighbourhood care can look like nationally, starting here in Lambeth and Southwark.”
We look forward to working with NHS England and the NNHIP team over the coming months to shape how the pilots run in our boroughs and share what we learn with other areas.